Furnace



Fuamcr:

Filed sept.. s. '19:50

IN VEN TOR.

EHNESTG. DECORJOLIS ATTORNEY.

Patented Sept. 22, 1931 @UNrrED STATES 'PATENT OFFICE ERNEST G. DECORIOLIS, F TOLEDO,; OHIO, ASSIG-NOIR TO SURFACE COMBUSTION CORPO- "RATION, TOLEDO, OHIO, A 'CORPORATION 0F NEW YORK FUBNACE Application led September, 1930. Serial No. 480,353.

This invention relates"to improvements inV tion with a heating furnace, a work holdingv container which may be entered linto and removed from the furnace through a door opening in one Aend thereof, the container being provided with means for agitating the 1o atmosphere within the container and means .being provided for .introducing into the container from outside of the furnace4 a. fluid for maintaining the desired atmosphere vwithin the container. v

The invention has been evolved more particularly for use in connection with the nitriding of various metallic articles, such articles requiring an atmosphere of ammonia gas during the heat treating operation but the invention is lnot limited 1n lts application to such use. i

For a more complete understandlng of the invention, reference is made to the detailed description' taken in connection with 125 the accompanying drawing wherein the preferred form of the invention is shown.

The single gure of the drawing isa vertical `longitudinal section through a box t type furnace and showing the container r and mechanism associated therewith'.

rihe furnace itself is 'a refractory structure of box-like form, having a roof or arch 1, a Hoor 2, end walls 3A and 4 respectively, and side walls 5; the end wall 3 having a door opening 6 normally closedby a door 7 and the oppositel end wall 4 having an aperture 8 for a purpose hereafter mentioned. Extending longitudinally of the furnace `and through the door opening 6 thereof, is a track bed 9 suitably supported aty opposite ends of the furnace and positioned intermediate the floor and roof thereof to permit underring by burners 10 and f overfiring by burners 11 positioned ontheside walls of the furnace. 12 indicates an opening in the furnace roof through which products of combustion may escape from the furnace. f

15 indicates generally a boxlike container preferably made ofmetal and having re-4 -as will be readily understood. The outer movable cover 16 adapted to make a gas tight t with the container in any suitable manner as by a sand seal indicated at 17. In this container the articles to be heat treated Will be placed before the container 1s lntroduced into the furance, it being understood that the container is'removable from the furnace through the door opening 6, and is moved vinto the furnace through said opening by being moved along the supporting bed 9.

Projecting from one end of the container 15 is a longitudinally extending bracket generally indicated at 18, this bracket being shown as of such form that it forms a closure for one end of the container. The bracket is also of such form that it may. extend through the aperture 8 in the furnace wall-4 and has a longitudinally extending bore wherein is positioned a hollow rotatable shaft 19 supported in suitable bearings 20 positioned in the bore of the bracket. This shaft is of suicient length to project beyond the ends of the bracket 18 and mounted on the shaft within the container 15 is a fan 21, this fan being adapted to Abe rotated by the shaft. 22 indicates a packing nut at the outer end of the bracket for maintaining a tight joint between the shaft and the bracket end of the shaft 19 is adapted to be removably connected to a rotatable hollow shaft 23 mounted for rotation in a bracket 24 secured to the outer face of the furnace wall 4. 25 indicates a driving pulley secured to 55 'the shaft 23 for rotating it and hence also lthe container while in the furnace, it being understood that these screws are backed away from the bracket 18 when it is desired toremove the container from the furnace. It'will, of coursealso be understood that the shaft section 2 3 is uncoupledkfrom the E shaft 19 when the container is to be removed from the furnace.

28 indicatesa screen within the container 15 forming a partition therein in front of the fan 21 to provide a compartment 29 for the latter. This screen not only protects the fan from damage by articles in the container but also causes the gas entering the container 15 through the shaft 19 to spread.

out more effectively in front ofthe fan before being forced into the main compartment of the container.

The wall of the container opposite the fan is provided with one or more relatively restricted apertures 30 through which spent gas may pass from the container in order to permit continuous introduction into container of fresh gases. There is preferably provided in connection with the aperture 30 on the outside of the container, a flap cover 31 which will open under pressure withinthe container to permitA gases to flow through the vent or aperture 30 but which will seal the vent against the entrance of furnace gases into the container.

From the foregoing description it will be seen that the present invention contemplates that the container shall be loaded with materials to be heat treated while the container is outside of the furnace. The cover 16 is then placed on the container and the oontainer moved into the furnace- The bracket 18 will extend through the' aperture 8 in the furnace vwall 4 and the shaft 19 will be coupled to the shaft extension 23 in order that the fan may be rotated. After the heat treating operation is complete the container is withdrawn from the furnace, the driving connection between the shafts 19 and 20 being first uncoupled as will be readily understood.

.What is claimed is:

1. In combination, a furnace, a workholding container removably positioned in the furnace, a fan Withinsaid container at one end thereof, a hollow drive-shaft on which said fan is mounted, said shaft extending outside of the container and furnace, and means coupled to the outer end of thevshaft for introducing Huid into said container.

2. In comblnation, a furnace, a Workholding container removably positioned in the' furnace, a shaft-supporting bracket secured to said container and projecting through a wall of the furnace, a hollow drive-shaft supported by said bracket, a fan within the container and secured to said shaft, said shaft extending outside of the container and furnace, and means coupled to the outer end of the shaft for introducing fluid into said container.

3. In combination, a furnace, a workholding container removably positioned in the furnace, a fan within the container at one end thereof, a screen in front of said fan, and a hollow drive-shaft on which said fan is mounted, said shaft extending outside of-said container and furnace, and means coupled to the outer end of the shaft for introducing Huid into said container.

4. In combination, a box-type furnace having a door opening in one end wall thereof and an aperture in the opposite end wall, a container positioned in the furnace and removable therefrom through said opening, a bracket projecting from said container and adapted to enter said aperture, a fan Within said container, and a hollow drive-shaft supported by said bracket for rotating the fan, and means coupled to the outer end of the shaft for introducing fluid into the container. y

5, The combination with a furnace having a door opening in one end thereof and an aperture in its opposite end wall, of a i box adapted to be inserted into and removed from furnace through'said door opening, a body forming an extension of one end of the box and adapted to project into said aperture, a hollow driving shaft extending through said body from within the box, a fan within the box and driven by said shaft, means outside of the furnace for driving said shaft and means outside of the furnace for passing fluid through said shaft into said box.

ERNEST G. DE CORI LIS. 

